by Kristof Loppnow

“Im Wasserwald” is a 3D exploration game designed to bring players closer to activism. Modeled after a real forest occupation in Grünheide (Brandenburg), players can virtually explore the occupiers' camp. During this visit, photo stations continually reference the real-life camp. A radio report and atmospheric sound recordings (captured on-site) set the mood for the scene.

In the virtual camp, players meet some of the (fictional) inhabitants of the camp. They have small tasks to complete — and that means climbing! Many of the quest items are hidden in tree houses, so players learn one of the most important activities of the forest occupiers: climbing …

The game is designed to leave as small an ecological footprint as possible and to be accessible to as many people as possible. For this reason, the game was optimized to be playable on low-end hardware. This led to a unique, resource-efficient 2D pixel sprite look, with minimal textures, models, and effects.

The game is also playable as a web version: https://yxee.itch.io/wasserwald

by Noa Kitzinger

“Leikas Traum“ (Laika's Dream) is a 2.5D story/puzzle game in which the player accompanies the Soviet space dog Laika on a surreal dream journey through space. After a turbulent take-off, Laika wakes up on a strange, unknown planet that seems to have a special connection to her.

On her journey across the planet, Laika meets a handful of other space animals who all used to live on Earth and, like Laika herself, have had a difficult past living with humans. Piece by piece, she learns the stories of these animals while trying to recover her own memories.

The aim of this game is to give players an insight into the world of animals. Is it fair how humanity treats animals? Under what circumstances do we cause animal suffering, and can we morally justify it for ourselves if the motives seem reasonable enough?

by Pelin Bilger

THE OCEAN IS DROWNING… …in plastic. But like me at the beginning of my research, you might think that the biggest problem is visible on the surface, as we know it from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But what if I told you that only 15% of the plastic is on the surface of the ocean, 15% on the beach, and a whole 70% lies deep in the ocean? Such facts reflect just the tip of the iceberg.

In the learning app “Ocean Calls,” you will dive into the depths of this issue in a playful way. Using your finger, you control a garbage-collecting robot whale via the touchscreen and embark on a fascinating exploration of the ocean’s depths. The simple controls make the app accessible to both young and old.

Alongside you are accompanied by a scientist, providing valuable knowledge.Get swept away, discover new depths of a life with less plastic, and learn how every contribution counts in protecting our oceans.

by Lisa Lewandofski

Welcome to Solar Valley, the green city of the future. Here, people live in harmony with each other and with nature. Every resident actively engages in the community and is open to sharing about their life and profession. But they need your help. Outside of this idyllic life, there are dark places: the industries. They pollute the environment, and plants have no chance of survival.

Solar Valley is my sketch of the future. No one can predict what the future will look like. I’ve outlined my ideas in a sketch-like manner. The player journeys through the past, present, and future, as if in a drawing book. Along the way, you meet residents of Solar Valley who tell you about their work and life as solar punks. Some will give tasks like “pick up the trash” and “water the plants.” Through these small activities, the player helps create a better, greener future. These tasks and dialogues are also meant to encourage real-world change.

The application is designed as an app, currently developed only for Android.

by Valentin Behrendt

Welcome to Ecognomia !

The once vibrant diversity of this planet has been almost entirely displaced by a growth-oriented species. The race for resources covered the planet with factories and enveloped the world in ash. But there is a silver lining on the horizon: A small group of solar punks has not given up hope and is facing the growing challenges of this time. Will you help them?

Ecognomia is a building game that tackles the challenges of climate change. In a relentless wasteland, players face drastic weather fluctuations and environmental disasters to re-green the planet and convince the inhabitants to embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Along the way, they guide a solar punk commune from its founding to a thriving community.

by Haijun Yu

PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT WITH BATTERY RECYCLING

I have developed a game about recycling car batteries. Through this entertaining game, I want to draw people's attention to the problem of disposing of large quantities of old car batteries. Due to the Chinese government's support policies for electric vehicles, the market share of electric vehicles in China is now over 30%. However, if these batteries are not properly disposed of, they can pollute water and soil. It is expected that China will experience the first wave of decommissioned car batteries in 2025.

To protect the environment, more attention needs to be given to car battery recycling. I hope my game encourages players to think about battery recycling in a positive and entertaining way.